


I did not come as a friend

by youcantsaveeveryone



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Kind of a fix-it, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Secret Avengers - Freeform, Time Jump, Tony and Steve are both stubborn assholes, i swear Bucky shows up later in the fic, i swear it'll have a happy ending, in which they both tone down the asshole factor, watch as I attempt to make sense of everyone's actions from civil war
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-05
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-21 16:25:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,377
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7394881
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youcantsaveeveryone/pseuds/youcantsaveeveryone
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which it's been 1.5 years since the events of Civil War. Tony's running the super legit Avengers and Steve's running his covert little team. They're both still as stubborn as ever. But then they haven't both been in the same room since Siberia so maybe that'll fix things?</p><p>Or where Steve and Tony talk it out, and they both kind of learn to forgive. </p><p>Or I was kind of curious what Tony's reaction to hearing what happened to Bucky would be.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I did not come as a friend

Steve and Tony had always been two stubborn assholes. Had they made each other's acquaintance in a different setting, they'd probably be at each other's throats within the hour. Holding out for four years - now that was the shocking bit.

This, Rhodey thought, isn't shocking. It wasn't shocking that Tony and Cap wound up on opposite sides of a difficult debate. It wasn't shocking that they'd fight hard for what they believed in (too hard, he concurred as he rubbed his left leg). And it certainly shouldn't be shocking that Tony still holds a grudge a year and a half after Siberia. The details of which, by the way, were still largely a mystery to Rhodes. 

Beyond a little mumbling about Steve and Barnes, something vague about his parents, a ton of curse words that Rhodey felt uncomfortable just hearing, and a whole lot of "I don't want to talk about it", Rhodey was in the dark here. As much as he wished it, and maybe even occasion liked to think it, he did not possess the all-powerful ability to make Tony Stark bare his soul following a declaration of "I don't want to talk about it".

Like he said, a stubborn asshole.

So he's understandably nervous at the prospect of having to be in the room when the potential reunion of Tony and Steve occurs. What's the word for when two people who want to punch the other in the face meet each other after a long year and a half? Not a reunion, no.

"Looks like we're having our rematch"

There we go, that's the word. Though the answer's delivery straight from Tony's mouth didn't exactly feel satisfying... 

"Look, Tony, go easy on him. It's been a year and a half."

Tony didn't seem to pay attention, or rather, he was giving his signature I'm-Tony-Stark-and-I-don't-want-to-or-have-to-hear-this face. "How many heat signatures in there?" Tony said to the only other non-Rhodey being in the quinjet.

"Six," Vision replied, pausing a brief moment before adding "I believe Colonel Rhodes may have a poi-"

"Okay, looks like the gang's all here"

Rhodey sighed. It's been a year and a half of whispers that a new "Avengers" squad had been showing up, only involving themselves in covert missions that didn't draw much of the public eye. Tony had angrily muttered one night about how they had no right to even be called Avengers and they had all foregone their right to be part of that institution when they picked the wrong side and no he wasn't bitter and no he wasn't being childish get off his back Rhodes. Yep, that was a night. But this is the first time the "real and only totally legit" Avengers squad (Tony's words, not his) had crossed paths with Steve's team. And Rhodey could've sworn it was pure coincidence, but the resolve in Tony's eyes made a compelling case otherwise...

"Wait, did you know we were gonna find them here?"

"I was only 73% sure. It's kind of their M.O."

"Damn it Tony, you did this on purpose? You know that if we run into them we have to arrest them!"

"I'm counting on it"

Great. Rhodey still believed in the Accords, and he never regretted signing them - they were important and they were a good diplomatic move. But he knew he wasn't ever going to convince Steve, and Steve was happy to keep in the shadows, take black ops jobs and be smart enough not to incite another global incident. Steve could be trusted, and as long as there was no real public presence of the "secret" Avengers, there was no need for diplomatic safeguards. He was perfectly comfortable letting Steve run his own quiet party. 

Huh. Suddenly, Tony's enthusiasm for this mission made a hell of a lot more sense.

\---

"Cap, we got a quinjet incoming"

"How long have we got, Sam?"

"Two minutes? Probably less"

Great. They had fought straight through five whole rooms of HYDRA scum, but Steve would gladly take five more if it meant that quinjet would turn around and head home.

"We gotta split, Cap," came Clint's voice over comms, his breathing indicating that he was already running.

God, Steve really wanted to just run, but a year and a half of running hadn't solved anything, and there was a much more pressing matter than his squabble with Tony. 

"Negative. We find the weapon, then we leave"

There was silence on the other end, a sigh, and then Wanda's voice, "Got it, we're heading to your location"

"Sam, have you got eyes? I need an ETA on that quinjet"

"I'd say you have about negative twenty seconds" came that voice he hadn't heard in a while. Steve would almost admit that he missed it, if it wasn't always dipped in sarcasm as it was now. Tony was followed closely by Rhodey, in a sleeker War Machine suit that Steve knew was what helped him walk now, and Vision, with an arm on a handcuffed Sam. 

"Tony..."

"Cap, you seem a little defensive. Of course, you're all under arrest"

The side door burst open and one by one the other heroes trickled in. They'd discussed what to do in a situation like this, and not a single one pulled a weapon on Tony. Tony might have argued that Wanda's glare kind of counted, but he let it slide.

"Well well, if it isn't the two and a half men"

"Ok Clint, I don't know if that was a Rhodey-is-disabled joke or a Vision-is-an-android joke but it was offensive either way and you've hurt their feelings"

"Nah, it was a Stark-is-a-halfwit joke" Clint said, folding his arms. "What're you doing here, Stark"

"Delivering justice. You're all under arrest."

"Tony, HYDRA's got some kind weapon hidden on this base. They plan to use it as a bomb tomorrow. Get rid of it before you come arrest us."

"You're not giving the orders anymore, Cap"

"Look Tony, I'm sorry about what happened in Siberia, but I'm telling you, this is important!"

"Right," Tony finally looked Steve straight in the eye. "Right, just like you told me those important details about my parents' death" 

"Tony..."

"Your buddy murdered my parents in cold blood and you didn't think it was important enough to tell me?"

"Wait, is that what happened in Siberia?" Rhodey cut in. Stark nodded sharply, and Rhodey continued "Wasn't Barnes brainwashed? Controlled by HYDRA? Is that what you've been upset about this whole time?" 

"No, I've been pissed that Captain fucking America knew this and chose not to tell me."

"Tony, I'm sorry about that. I was wrong. It... It wasn't my secret to keep and I was a selfish asshole and I just wanted to keep Bucky safe and I..." 

"Yeah, is it your boyfriend's turn to also give me a heartfelt apology for strangling my mom with his bare hands? Speaking of which..." Tony did a quick glance around the room. Cap, Sam, Clint, Wanda, Scott (yes, he's since learnt his name) and goddamn it Nat you traitor, but no Barnes. "Where IS your boyfriend?"

Steve looked down at the floor and Tony tried hard to read his expression. Escaped? Re-brainwashed? (Is that even a thing?) Dead? 

"He's uh... He's back in cryo" 

"What? Why?"

"He... He couldn't trust his mind... There were trigger words... He didn't want to go back to ever being a weapon for HYDRA again. He didn't want to ever have to kill someone for HYDRA again. Not a stranger, not someone important, not... Not a friend like Howard"

A friend like Howard. In the days following Siberia, the thought that Barnes and his Dad had actually known each other only made him angrier. His dad had trusted Barnes, and Barnes repaid him with a hard punch to the face. But as time went by, it properly sank in that Barnes had no control over what he was doing, he was being sent to kill a friend. He'd heard what happened in DC - Barnes had beaten his best friend Captain America within an inch of his life. Ok, he was starting to feel bad for Barnes.

Steve was a selfish stubborn asshole, no doubt about that. But shit, had Tony been one too?

**Author's Note:**

> comments are greatly appreciated. I kinda don't know what pov I'm writing from anymore, but hey I'll figure it out. updates every couple of days, I'm not planning to make this too long - 5 chapters will probably finish up the story I have in mind: though you never know what'll happen after?


End file.
